Politics

The annual NC Trail Days Festival begins this Thursday with events planned in Elkin, Jonesville and beyond. North Carolina Trail Days celebrates the many outdoor recreation opportunities found in small towns throughout the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills. At the junction of three state trails, Elkin is a true trails town. NC Trail Days has grown to a four-day event, aligning with National Trails Day on the first Saturday of June...

Throughout our lifetimes we reach milestones which are notable and, in some instances, historic. This is true for “A” Battery, 426 Field Artillery Battalion, a Mount Airy/Surry County army reserve unit, organized in 1949. This reserve unit was comprised primarily of local World War ll veterans who wished to enjoy the camaraderie established during their active military service.

The second annual West Side Revival is planned for Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. on West Main Street and West Depot Alley in Elkin. Co-sponsoring this downtown event of food, drinks and live music are Explore Elkin, Elkin Railyard, Fruition Cocktail Bar, along with the Elkin TDA, American Aquatic, Lost Province Brewing, and Laconia Ale Works. Amanda Edgerley, owner of Fruition, said the inspiration for the West Side Revival was “to get people downtown for Memorial Day weekend” instead of people going out of town...

During its May 20 board meeting, the Yadkin County Board of Commissioners held Legislative Public Hearings for Rezoning Cases RZ24-004, RZ24-005, and RZ24-006 and approved those requests. The board approved a budget amendment to cover salary lines in multiple departments for the remainder of the fiscal year and passed two resolutions to accept American Rescue Plan Act funds from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund to assist with water/wastewater infrastructure needs. ...

Each year, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as the Old Guard, places American flags at the headstones of service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

The Elkin community is mourning the loss of former mayor Tom Gwyn who passed away on Friday at the age of 93. Gwyn was not born in Elkin but spent many years of his life serving the community in a variety of ways including a long tenure as mayor from 1981 to 2007. Gwyn and his wife Laura came to Elkin in 1957 after beginning their married life together in Poitiers, France. ...

Mike Bovender will assume the duties of president of the on June 1 Yadkin Valley United Fund, after recent board member selections by that agency. Along with being president of the United Fund, he is one of the owners of Surry Maintenance, chief of Elkin Rescue Squad, and treasurer of the Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce. Other officers elected were Wendy Wood, Surry-Yadkin Electric, as president-elect; Justin Roberts, First Community...

Chief Kevin Macemore, Arlington Fire & Rescue, announced the 2024 Certificate of Fire District Rating for the two districts covered by the department during the Jonesville Town Council meeting on May 13. Fire District Ratings are given based on inspections by officials from the North Carolina Department of Insurance Office of State Fire Marshal. Inspections are required as part of the North Carolina Response Ratings System. Officials assessed the department’s staffing levels, equipment, communications capabilities, and water source availability. Services provided by Jonesville’s Water Department along with Yadkin County’s Communications and Fire Marshal Office are included in the grading system. ...

A new series of events entitled “Stories and Songs” is slated to begin Thursday, May 30 at 6 p.m. in the Regional Studies Room of the Boonville Community Public Library. “The purpose of the Stories and Songs Series is to help build a sense of community, keep traditions alive, and better understand the unique culture of Appalachia and the mountain valley hill country of Surry, Wilkes, and Yadkin. Words and music show us where we’ve been, who we are, and most importantly where we are...

The fifth annual NC Trail Days Festival is planned for May 30 through June 2 with events happening in Jonesville and Elkin. Elkin and Jonesville have become destinations for hikers, paddlers and nature-lovers as the region boasts three great state trails: the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail, the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, and the Yadkin River State Trail. Jonesville will host numerous events during the festival including trivia night, night hikes,...

Surry County Schools have changed its tactics for applying for Needs Based Capital Grant funding for school construction. Officials with the local system have opted for an approach that breaks the needs of the three high schools into phases in hopes that a smaller dollar amount request may yield a positive outcome. “When we think about the next phase of construction for Surry County Schools we look at our three high schools. Obviously, you know the needs,” Dr. Travis Reeves said to the board of...

The annual Memorial Day service in Yadkin County is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Monday, May 27 at the Yadkin County Park, located at 6600 Service Rd. in Yadkinville. Local Boy Scouts will lead the pledge of allegiance for the ceremony. Taking part in the service will be Yadkin County Veterans Council Chairman James Cline, Eddie Vogler, representing American Legion Post 336, Ricky Taylor, representing American Legion Post 505, Steve Mosteller, representing VFW Post 10346. ...

Inside Mayberry Mall Wednesday there was much more foot traffic than one may have expected. Just pulling into the parking lot, it was obvious something was afoot as a line of food trucks were parked adjacent to main entrance ready to serve. All the fuss was for BizFest, a chance for approximately 40 businesses to meet potential clients and network with other area businesses. The event was sponsored by Surry Communications and hosted by the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce and the Surry County...

There was an error loading the media player. Yadkin County is piloting a program to address a shortage of child care options in rural areas. The EarlyEd FlexPlex model was originally conceived by a child care firm in Minnesota. It was picked up by Yadkin County community leaders when they saw its potential to offer a solution that fit the unique needs of area families, many of whom aren’t on traditional schedules.

RALEIGH — North Carolina Farm Bureau has awarded Yadkin County teacher Ashley Gentle, of Yadkinville Elementary School, an Ag in the Classroom “Going Local” grant. “There is no more valuable resource in North Carolina than our students and the teachers charged with their education,” said North Carolina Farm Bureau President Shawn Harding. “Through our Ag in the Classroom program, the state’s farmers are investing in the future leaders of North Carolina, as well as the future of agriculture, which is the state’s top economic sector.” ...

During the public comment portion of Monday’s Elkin City Schools Board of Education meeting, school board member Johnny Blevins submitted his resignation. Blevins was elected to the board in 2022. He is leaving due to an upcoming move outside the school district. “I do thank you for the opportunity to serve. It’s been my honor and privilege,” Blevins said. “I wish the school system well. My children were raised in it. My wife taught in it. I love the people of Elkin, the people of...

Local author and historian Tom Perry will be presenting part of his Tom Talks History series on Sunday, discussing his new book, “White Sulphur Springs North Carolina: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.” “This 100 page book tells the history of the White Sulphur Springs on Riverside Drive, Highway 104, just north of Mount Airy,” he said of the new publication. Perry said there was once a nearly 200 room resort hotel along the Ararat River, where people came to drink sulphur water that smelled like rotten...

DOBSON — For those who might have missed it, an election was held Tuesday across Surry County, as local voters helped choose nominees for two state offices in the November general election. This involved a second primary, or runoff, in which Hal Weatherman of Wake Forest defeated Jim O’Neill in a race for lieutenant governor on the Republican ticket, according to results from across North Carolina. O’Neill presently serves as...

North Carolina Environmental Management Commission/NPDES Unit. Notice of Intent to Issue a NPDES Wastewater Permit NC0089265 Dobson Water Treatment Plant WTP The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission proposes to issue a NPDES wastewater discharge permit to the person(s) listed below. Written comments regarding the proposed permit will be accepted until 30 days after the publish date of this notice. The Director of the NC Division of Water Resources (DWR) may hold a public hearing should there be a significant degree of public interest. Please mail comments and/or information requests to DWR at the above address. Interested persons may visit the DWR at 512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27604 to review the information on file. Additional information on NPDES permits and this notice may be found on our website: https://deq.nc.gov/public-notices-hearings, or by calling (919) 707-3601. Town of Dobson has applied to renew NPDES permit NC0089265 for the Dobson WTP to discharge to surface waters of the State, wastewater generated during potable-water processing. These facilities are located at 2604 Prison Camp Road, Dobson, Surry County. Parameters that are water-quality limited include Total Suspended Solids (TSS), pH, Total Residual Chlorine, and Turbidity. This discharge may affect future wasteload allocations to this portion of the receiving watershed. (Public Notice will run in Mount Airy News on 5/18/24.)

Surry County released a notice to the public Wednesday morning of an upcoming meeting of the Flat Rock — Bannertown Water and Sewer District Board. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 20, at 6 p.m. and will be held in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room on the top floor of the Historic Courthouse located at 114 W. Atkins Street in Dobson. Last year the Surry County Board of Commissioners voted...